The Dangers of Driving While “Minimally Buzzed”

Sure, you’ve been drinking, but just a little. You know for a fact that you’re under the legal limit. So you put your key in your car, confident that you’re not breaking the law. But exactly how much does the small amount of alcohol you’ve consumed, an amount that is under California’s 0.08% legal limit, actually affect your driving abilities?
According to a study by the University of California, San Diego published earlier this year in the British Medical Journal group’s Injury Prevention, driving while “minimally buzzed” – that is, with a BAC of 0.01, which is well below the legal limit – can have a significant impact on your ability to drive.
In its examination of over 570,000 fatal collisions occurring from 1994 to 2011, the study found that drivers with a BAC of 0.01 were 46 percent more likely to be found by accident investigators to be both officially and solely responsible for the collisions than were sober drivers. Additionally, blame increases steadily as BAC rises.
According to the study findings, there is no safe combination of drinking and driving. In other words, there’s no point where a person can drink alcohol and trust that the amount alcohol consumed will not have an effect when they get behind the wheel of a car.
If you or someone you love has been injured as a result of an accident involving an impaired driver, Bradley I. Kramer and his experienced legal team are here to help you obtain the compensation to which you are entitled. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.